For a given fiber core diameter and amount of optical power (energy per time specified in Watts, W) of an optical beam propagating through the core, there is a corresponding maximum length of fiber that may be employed before stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) or other non-linear effects appear. Stated another way, the length and core diameter of a delivery fiber limit the amount of optical power the fiber may transmit before non-linear optical effects such as SRS occur. In practice, as a specified amount of optical power increases, the length of delivery fiber is decreased to avoid SRS effects in a particular design.